Nuggets guard Jamal Murray ‘s knee injury was as severe as feared.
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee. He will be out indefinitely.
This all but certainly ends Murray's season.
What devastating news.
Denver looked like a championship contender , especially after trading for Aaron Gordon . Nikola Jokic is playing like an MVP , and Murray led a strong supporting cast.
Murray hadn't quite matched his breakout 2020 postseason this season. But he was banged up throughout the year and still showed special flashes . It seemed a reemergence into stardom could be around the corner.
Now, he's sidelined â probably into next season. The Nuggets have been ascending for years, but this derails them in a way that could swing offseason plans.
For now, Denver has decent guard depth. Starter Will Barton can assume a larger role. Backups Monte Morris , Facundo Campazzo and P.J. Dozier could get more minutes. But those players can't be trusted in the playoffs the same way Murray would have been.
The Nuggets can also sign a free agent like Austin Rivers, Troy Daniels or Gerald Green . That becomes even more urgent.
But nobody will replace Murray.
This just stinks.
